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PFW AW18 Trend report

As seen on my Instagram, i’ve spent some time in Paris last week to discover the new AW 18 trends in Menswear. In this article I will show you my favorite looks from all the shows i’ve seen.

ACNE STUDIOS

Throughout, vivid colours such as blues and reds sit alongside muted tones of camel and grey, that generally what their collection was about.
Striped, loose knitted tops have extended sleeves and a large patch pocket at the hem. 2D square bodied sweaters are made from just two panels, following a child’s imagined idea of a knit.
Single breasted tailoring is pressed with new body, with creases placed away from the usual. Pants are cropped and slightly ared, the cut-out pockets with bonded hems.
Wools are woven with synthetics to create textures like terrain. The fabrics are used on snap-fastening duffels, either full body, or as a panel across the shoulders of a camel duffel.

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Henrik Vibskov

For Danish designer Henrik, its all about texture and structure. As the bold, flowing silhouettes walked down the runway, they displayed an assortment of materials ranging from quilted fabrics to sweaters. The collection was full of patterned fabrics, with various plaid and stripes applied to everything from suits to oversized cardigans.

My personal flavourite is the Jenas combo and the HV sweater !

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MAISON MARTIN MARGIELA

The show is presented on the backdrop of a synergistic glyph, a new symbol imbued with a positive message for the house and echoed in the decortiqué back of a Mackintosh coat. Known as the SMS, the Security Margiela Sneaker makes its debut alongside heeled men’s Tabi boots and menswear interpretations of the recently launched Glam Slam bag.An overcoat is hacked up into a jacket, a trench coat is spliced with a formal coat, while others are reduced to their core using the decortiqué technique. The concept of dressing in haste, established in the Artisanal line, is at the core of the Fall Winter 2018 collection informing cuts. Humble menswear staples such as the greatcoat, the nylon sports jacket and the cable knit are re- positioned and collaged with sartorial heritage tailoring. Appropriating the inappropriate, an Aran knit cardigan appears in all-rubber. A navy bomber is flocked with shadow effects that imitate wear.
Introducing Artisanal pieces to the Maison’s menswear, a relaxed suit is cut on the bias, an innovative first for sartorial dressing.

Fabrics native to the men’s wardrobe such as Harris Tweed, herringbone, flannel and a wealth of wools are contrasted by the artificial nature of rubber and poly-urethane. Polyester gabardine and nylon nod at sportswear while leathers and knitwear draw on menswear classics.

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ETUDES

As always Etudes collection had some political influences as there is always something interestingly collectivist and genderless about the Etudes menswear conceptions. This year show setting was a basement underground of brutalist Parasian building, which matched the collection perfectly. Stalwart line items, big logo’s such a the New York Times one on even bigger scarves, t-shirts and sweaters. The

Citizens of the underground indeed, because such was the theme of this show, and it must be said that the collection comeback signature of safety orange on dark olive, on camel, against shades of black, with some Prince of Whales in electric blue, while Adidas and Salomon provided fancy city loafers, and while the carabiners with parachute cord and climbing rope in multicolor were used as belts or decorations, with those genderless appearances, and the classy tailoring, and last but certainly not least (see if you can spot it) the magic appearance of Fritz the Cat in print, that all these things taken together made for a versatile and eclectic AW 18 Etudes collection which yet managed to keep its equilibrium and unity of purpose despite any avant-gardist progressive studies (études) undoubtedly preceding the actual défilé on the runway.

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AVOC

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DIOR HOMME

Tribals, tribals and more tribals, that was the main ingredient for Dior’s Atelier Couture AW collection. Kris Van Assche has been the leading man for a decade now, and just when I thought he couldn’t surprised me anymore, he did! I love every single piece of the collection ! Shoe laces trailed over the floor, vintage puffer jackets, short sleeves worn over long sleeves and all shorts, jeans were oversized. Really fell in love with the Atelier Dior t-shirts and bomber, they are so cool !

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LOUIS VUITTON

2 days before the show, Kim Jones announced he would be leaving Louis Vuitton has creative director. Well despite that sad news, Kim presented his latest collection for LV”Overview” that according to the shows notes was about “Discovering something new. A constant voyage.”
In the same way the collection looked back over Jones’s design legacy, the casting also saw the return of some familiar faces – namely Naomi Campbell and Kate Moss. The pair took the runway in matching PVC, LV-monogrammed coats towards the end of the show, just before returning for the finale – walking arm-in-arm with Jones to the sound of rapturous applause and a standing ovation.

My favorite pieces are (besides everything), the V neck sweaters, the PVC trench coat, fur coat and so in love with the small monogrammed waist bag.

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LANVIN

The French label prevailed this season with their Autumn Winter 18 Menswear collection. Featuring hiking boots, suede bomber jackets and even the designer off-spring of Liam Gallagher, Lanvin have created an innovative collection under the creative direction of Lucas Ossendrijver.
With Lennon Gallagher in the midst of the runway army, the models help reinforce the concept of authentic masculinity. With mixed and matched shirts, knitwear and grey leather this season saw camouflage and diversity. The word ‘someday’ was also printed on the back of of jackets conveying the concept of abstract art. This, paired with the illuminating spotlights, creating the perfect ambiance for Lanvin Autumn Winter 2018.

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PAUL SMITH

With tailoring forever at the heart of Paul Smith, the collection celebrates the suit and reasserts its relevance. Confident statement suits are presented for both men and women. In the opening look smooth satin lapels roll into dense pleats with jacquard wool sleeves woven with dancing fairies. On single pieces, houndstooth is panelled alongside Prince of Wales check and leather juxtaposed with hardy British tailoring cloths. The added length in jackets is a nod to Paul’s own past when in the Eighties he led a confident movement to relax the suit again reasserting its relevance.
Muted colour builds to a crescendo of bright red. Illustrator Edmund Dulac inspires a romantic palette of midnight blues, deep purples and other jewel-tones. Painterly prints bring a much-needed sense of optimism and respite from world woes and are delivered in other-worldly psychedelic florals and ethereal moonlit landscapes. Of particular prominence in the collection is the Dreamer print, seen most vividly in the intricacy of woven lambswool and mohair knitwear.

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AGNES B

Inspiration for this latest Agnès b. marvel of a collection came from the early seventies, from Bob Dylan, from the rock band the Animals, and from the desire to always create new personalities from different eras in this case bringing back the Parisian dandy from the streets of yore.

With this type of class on display one of course cannot fail to spot then some unusual items which may seem out of style today but which are really timeless menswear stalwarts if you think about it: the knickerbocker with pulled up socks, berets and classy hats, simple windbreakers, wool pullovers in faded colors, tweed patch pocket jackets, wide cotton trousers, etc. etc. and this list goes on and on and on to show you (just take a look at the slideshow) that in order to look timeless and elegant and feel great and wear a simple smile on your face rather than a sullen urban scowl that you really need no trendy urban chic or contemporary cool or popular clothes – because life is not about you after all when you finally get away from your smartphone. No, the latest Agnès b. grand collection proves once again that dressing nicely for men is, and always was, about feeling happy and looking good, and stylish, and comfortable. No likes necessary.

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ALEXANDER MCQUEEN

The inspirations, according to the show notes, were just as diverse as the eclectic choices of patterns and materials. It “takes as its starting point the elegant modernism of the British male”. To this, they add “the tailors of Saville Row” and “pony kids of Ireland” – the former apparent by crisp tailoring, while the latter emerges through the nonchalant and oversized outerwear.

These exaggerated prints and textures were reeled in by the more modest and preppy styling, which saw many of the garments paired with v-neck sweaters, polo-neck jumpers, formal shirt and tie combinations and cropped, slim trousers. For AW18, McQueen cannot be summed up by one word or influence, and that is the point.